JP2015103948A - Imaging apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a user to properly change a set value concerned with an exposure condition, image processing or the like during photography of a moving image, and to apply an image effect by the changed set value also to a frame image existing before the change.SOLUTION: An imaging apparatus capable of photographing a moving image includes: an imaging part for capturing a subject image and outputting the captured image at a predetermined frame rate; a storage part for generating frame images by applying image processing to the captured image and successively storing the frame images; a display part for successively displaying live view images on the basis of the frame images; a setting change part which when the live view images are successively displayed on a display part, allows a user to change a set value concerned with a desired item out of an exposure condition and image processing; and a post processing part for performing correction so that the finally changed set value of the desired item is applied to a frame image of a frame before the time at which the set value of the desired item is finally changed during a period up to completion of moving image photography out of the frame images stored in the storage part.

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus.

  2. Description of the Related Art An imaging device that automatically changes setting values of setting items such as an aperture value when a subject's facial expression changes while shooting a moving image is known in order to shoot a variety of images. (Patent Document 1).

JP 2010-288171 A

  As in Patent Document 1, in a conventional imaging device, setting values relating to exposure conditions, image processing, and the like are automatically changed while shooting a moving image, but the image effect due to the changed setting values is changed. Does not apply to previously captured frame images.

  An image pickup apparatus according to the present invention is an image pickup apparatus capable of shooting a moving image, an image pickup unit that picks up a subject image and outputs the picked-up image at a predetermined frame rate, and applies image processing to the picked-up image. When the frame image is generated and the storage unit sequentially stores the frame image, the display unit sequentially displays the live view image based on the frame image, and the live view image is sequentially displayed on the display unit, the exposure condition And a setting changing unit that allows the user to change a setting value related to a desired item in the image processing, and a setting value of the desired item last until the moving image shooting is completed among the frame images stored in the storage unit. And a post-processing unit that performs correction so that the setting value changed at the end of the desired item is applied to the frame image of the frame before the changed time.

  According to the present invention, setting values relating to exposure conditions, image processing, and the like can be appropriately changed by the user while shooting a moving image, and the image effect based on the changed setting values can be applied to the frame image before the change. Can be applied.

It is a block diagram which shows the structural example of the imaging device by one embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of a display of a live view image. It is a figure for demonstrating the frame image accumulate | stored in a memory | storage part. It is a flowchart regarding imaging | photography of a moving image.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of an imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. An electronic camera 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 is an imaging device that can capture a moving image, and includes a photographing lens 10, a diaphragm 11, a lens driving unit 12, a diaphragm driving unit 13, an imaging unit 14, and an image. A processing unit 15, a CPU 16, a RAM 17, a ROM 18, a recording unit 19, a display unit 20, and an operation unit 21 are provided.

  The photographing lens 10 includes a plurality of lens groups including a zoom lens and a focusing lens. In FIG. 1, the taking lens 10 is illustrated as a single lens. The focusing lens is driven by the lens driving unit 12 during the focus adjustment operation.

  The diaphragm 11 is formed from a plurality of diaphragm blades (not shown), and adjusts the amount of light guided to the imaging unit 14. The aperture drive unit 13 drives aperture blades (not shown) based on the aperture value set by the CPU 16.

The imaging unit 14 includes an imaging device, an analog signal processing circuit, and an A / D conversion circuit. The imaging unit 14 captures a subject image and outputs a captured image at a predetermined frame rate.
The image processing unit 15 captures a captured image from the imaging unit 14, performs image processing such as exposure correction processing, light / dark difference adjustment processing, and select color processing using the RAM 17 that is a temporary storage area as a work area, and the frame image 30. Is generated. The image processing unit 15 stores the frame image 30 in the RAM 17 for each frame. In addition, the image processing unit 15 performs image processing such as resizing processing on the frame image 30 to generate a live view image 31. The image processing unit 15 outputs the live view image 31 to the display unit 20. Further, the image processing unit 15 develops the frame image 30, compresses it in various compression formats, and outputs a recording image 32.

The CPU 16 is configured by a microcomputer or the like, and executes programs stored in the ROM 18 using the RAM 17 as a work area to control each part of the electronic camera 1.
A recording medium 23 is detachably attached to the recording unit 19. The recording unit 19 records the recording image generated by the image processing unit 15 on the recording medium 23.

The display unit 20 is, for example, a liquid crystal monitor provided on the back surface of the electronic camera 1, and displays a menu screen of the electronic camera 1, a live view image to be described later, and the like.
The operation unit 21 includes an operation member such as a release switch 22. When each unit of the operation unit 21 is operated, a corresponding operation signal is output to the CPU 16.
The release switch 22 outputs a half-press signal to the CPU 16 when it is depressed about half of the normal stroke, and outputs a full-press signal to the CPU 16 when it is depressed normally. Hereinafter, an operation of depressing the release switch 22 about half of the normal stroke is referred to as a half-press operation, and an operation of depressing the release switch 22 is referred to as a full-press operation.

  The electronic camera 1 displays a live view image 31 on the display unit 20 when in a mode for capturing a moving image. When the electronic camera 1 is pressed halfway, a shooting preparation operation such as an exposure control process or a focus adjustment process is performed, and then a screen illustrated in FIG. 2 is displayed on the display unit 20. In FIG. 2, the live view image 31 is displayed on the display unit 20, and the image of the slide bar 42 is superimposed on the live view image 31.

  The slide bar 42 is used by the user to set setting values relating to image processing applied to the captured image when the live view image 31 is generated. In the image processing for setting a setting value using the slide bar 42, the user selects a desired item in advance from image processing that can be executed by the image processing unit 15, such as exposure correction processing.

  The exposure correction process is to change the brightness of the image by changing the exposure from the appropriate exposure determined by the exposure control by the CPU 16 of the electronic camera 1. The set value relating to exposure correction is the intensity of exposure correction, and can be set to a value within a predetermined range centered on zero.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing the frame image 30 that the image processing unit 15 stores in the RAM 17. As described above, the image processing unit 15 stores the frame image 30 output from the imaging unit 14 every frame in the RAM 17. When the user operates the slide bar 42 at time C1 to change the image processing setting value from A1 to A2, the change is applied from the frame image 30 output in frames after the time C1. That is, the changed setting value A2 is not applied to the frame image 30 output before the time C1.

  When the time C1 is within the period T during which the moving image is actually captured, if the recording image of the moving image is generated using the frame image 30 generated during the period T, the recording is performed with different image effects at the time C1. A work image is generated, resulting in a moving image that lacks a sense of unity as a work.

In the electronic camera 1 according to the present invention, the image processing unit 15 performs correction so that the image processing of the setting value A2 is applied to the frame image 30 stored in the RAM 17 before the time C1. For example, when the setting values A1 and A2 are the intensity of the exposure correction process, the brightness of the frame image 30 before the time C1 may be changed by the difference between the setting value A1 and the setting value A2.
Before the frame image 30 is developed and compressed to generate the recording image 32, the frame image 30 stored in the RAM 17 before time C1 is corrected so that the image processing of the setting value A2 is applied. The same image effect is applied to the entire moving image recording image 32.

  If the setting value of the image processing is changed a plurality of times, it is changed last with respect to the frame image 30 of the frame before the time when the setting value was last changed until the main shooting is completed. What is necessary is just to correct | amend so that the set value in the time C2 which the main imaging | photography was completed, ie, the setting value may be applied.

  Even if the time C1 is outside the period T during which the moving image is actually captured, the setting of the image processing applied to the frame image 30 stored in the RAM 17 before the time C1 when the actual photographing is performed. Apply image processing to unify values.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart regarding the operation of the electronic camera 1 when shooting a moving image. In step S100, the CPU 16 determines whether or not a half-press operation has been performed. If the half-press signal is not input from the release switch 22, the CPU 16 makes a negative determination in step S100 and repeats the process of step S100. When the half-press signal is input from the release switch 22, the CPU 16 makes an affirmative decision in step S100 and proceeds to the process in step S110.

In step S110, the CPU 16 performs a shooting preparation operation. For example, the CPU 16 executes an exposure control process (AE) and a focus adjustment process (AF).
In step S <b> 120, the CPU 16 controls the image processing unit 15 to start accumulation of the frame image 30 in the RAM 17. Note that the image processing unit 15 combines the set values set by the slide bar 42 together with the frame images 30 of the respective frames, and accumulates them in the RAM 17.
In step S <b> 130, the CPU 16 controls the image processing unit 15 to generate a live view image 31 based on the frame image 30 stored in the RAM 17. Then, the CPU 16 causes the display unit 20 to display the slide bar 42 on the live view image 31.

  In step S140, the CPU 16 determines whether or not the user has operated the slide bar 42 to change the image processing setting value. If the set value for image processing has been changed, the CPU 16 makes an affirmative decision in step S140 and proceeds to the processing in step S150. If the set value for image processing has not been changed, the CPU 16 makes a negative determination in step S140 and proceeds to the processing in step S210.

  In step S150, the CPU 16 determines whether or not a full press operation has been performed. If the full-press signal is not input from the release switch 22, the CPU 16 makes a negative determination in step S150 and returns to the process of step S100. When the full press signal is input from the release switch 22, the CPU 16 makes a positive determination in step S150 and proceeds to the process of step S160.

In step S160, the CPU 16 starts actual shooting of the moving image.
In step S <b> 170, the CPU 16 controls the image processing unit 15 to generate a live view image 31 based on the frame image 30 stored in the RAM 17. Then, the CPU 16 causes the display unit 20 to display the slide bar 42 on the live view image 31.

  In step S180, the CPU 16 determines whether or not the main shooting of the moving image ends. For example, when a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of main photographing, the CPU 16 makes a positive determination in step S180 and proceeds to the process of step S190. For example, when the predetermined time has not yet elapsed since the start of the main photographing, the CPU 16 makes a negative determination in step S180 and returns to the process of step S170.

In step S190, the CPU 16 performs the process on the frame image 30 accumulated up to the time C _last when the set value was last changed within the period from the execution of the process of step S120 to the positive determination of step S180. Then, the image processing unit 15 performs correction (post-processing) so that the image processing of the setting value A _last changed _last is applied. For example, the difference between the set value A stored together with the frame image 30 in the RAM 17 before the time C _last and the last changed set value A _last is compensated by correction.

  In step S200, the CPU 16 uses the frame image 30 stored in the RAM 17 from the start to the end of the main shooting, and the image processing unit 15 develops and compresses the moving image recording image 32. Is generated. Of the frame images 30 accumulated from the start to the end of the main shooting, the frame image 30 corrected in step S190 is a moving image recording image using the corrected frame image 30. 32 is generated.

  In step S210, the CPU 16 determines whether or not a full press operation has been performed. If the full press signal is not input from the release switch 22, the CPU 16 makes a negative determination in step S210 and returns to the process of step S100. When the full-press signal is input from the release switch 22, the CPU 16 makes an affirmative determination in step S210 and proceeds to a process in step S220.

In step S220, the CPU 16 starts actual shooting of a moving image.
In step S <b> 230, the CPU 16 controls the image processing unit 15 to generate a live view image 31 based on the frame image 30 stored in the RAM 17. Then, the CPU 16 causes the display unit 20 to display the slide bar 42 on the live view image 31.

  In step S240, the CPU 16 determines whether or not the user has operated the slide bar 42 to change the image processing setting value. If the set value for image processing has been changed, the CPU 16 makes a positive determination in step S240 and proceeds to the processing in step S180. If the set value for image processing has not been changed, the CPU 16 makes a negative determination in step S240 and proceeds to the processing in step S250.

  In step S250, the CPU 16 determines whether the main shooting of the moving image ends. For example, when a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the main photographing, the CPU 16 makes a positive determination in step S250 and proceeds to the process of step S200. For example, when a predetermined time has not yet elapsed since the start of the main photographing, the CPU 16 makes a negative determination in step S250 and returns to the process of step S230.

According to the embodiment described above, the following operational effects can be obtained.
The electronic camera 1 is an imaging device that can capture a moving image, and includes an imaging unit 14, an image processing unit 15, a CPU 16, a RAM 17, a display unit 20, and an operation unit 21. The imaging unit 14 captures a subject image and outputs a captured image at a predetermined frame rate. The image processing unit 15 applies image processing such as exposure correction to the captured image to generate a frame image 30 and sequentially stores the frame image 30 in the RAM 17. Further, the image processing unit 15 sequentially displays the live view image 31 on the display unit 20 based on the frame image 30. When the live view image 31 is sequentially displayed on the display unit 20, the CPU 16 can change the setting value of image processing desired by the user using the slide bar 42 and the operation unit 21. When a desired image processing setting value is changed before moving image shooting is completed, the CPU 16 stores the image processing data in the RAM 17 so as to correspond to the image processing setting value when moving image shooting is completed. The image processing unit 15 is caused to execute image processing for correcting the frame image 30 that is present.
By providing such a configuration, the electronic camera 1 can apply the same image effect as that after the change to the frame image before the setting value is changed.

The embodiment described above can be implemented with the following modifications.
[Modification 1]
In the above embodiment, the case where the intensity of the exposure correction process is changed using the slide bar 42 has been described. However, the setting value changed using the slide bar 42 is not limited to the intensity of the exposure correction process. For example, by using the slide bar 42, other image processing setting values such as contrast adjustment, color filter effect, lens effect, soft portrait effect, miniature effect, skin effect, and exposure conditions such as aperture value and shutter speed. You may enable it to change the setting value regarding.

  Brightness / darkness adjustment is image processing for suppressing overexposure in a highlight portion of a captured image and reducing blackout in a shadow portion. The setting value relating to the contrast adjustment is the strength of the contrast adjustment, and can be set to “strong”, “medium”, “weak”, “none” or the like. In the correction in step S190, image processing is performed so as to compensate for the difference between the intensity of the light / dark difference adjustment last changed until the main photographing is completed and the intensity of the light / dark difference adjustment stored together with each frame image 30. I can do that.

  When correcting the setting values related to the exposure conditions such as the aperture value and the shutter speed with the slide bar 42, bracket shooting is performed within the appropriate exposure range for each frame after step S120, and the result of the bracket shooting is used. The correction in step S190 may be performed. For example, an image to which the setting closest to the last changed setting value is extracted from the images captured by bracketing for the frame image 30 of the correction target frame F1 until the main photographing is completed is extracted. The correction may be performed by replacing the extracted image with the frame image 30. Alternatively, the aperture value may be changed by artificially blurring the background by digital processing by the image processing unit 15, or the shutter speed may be changed pseudo by overlapping the frame image 30. .

[Modification 2]
In the above embodiment, in step S200, the recording image 32 of the moving image is generated by using the frame image 30 stored in the RAM 17 from the start to the end of the main shooting. However, the method for generating the moving image recording image 32 is not limited to this. For example, the recording image 32 of the moving image may be generated using the frame images 30 for several seconds before and after the time when the full pressing operation is performed. Of the frame images 30 for a predetermined time before and after the time when the full-pressing operation is performed, the frame image 30 corrected in step S190 is a moving image recording image 32 using the corrected frame image 30. Is preferably generated. In addition, a frame F corresponding to the time when the full-press operation is performed is stored in the moving image recording image 32, and a still image based on the frame image 30 of the frame F is reproduced and displayed after the moving image is reproduced. May be.

[Modification 3]
In the above embodiment, the electronic camera 1 has been described as an imaging device in which the photographing lens 10 and the camera are integrally formed. However, the electronic camera 1 is a camera system that includes a camera body and an interchangeable lens that can be attached to and detached from the camera body. It may be configured. In the camera system, among the configuration of the electronic camera 1 illustrated in FIG. 1, the photographing lens 10 and the aperture 11 are the configuration of the interchangeable lens, and the other configuration is the configuration of the camera body.

  The embodiments and modifications described above are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to these contents as long as the features of the invention are not impaired. Further, the embodiments and modifications described above may be combined and executed as long as the features of the invention are not impaired.

1: electronic camera, 10: photographing lens, 14: imaging unit, 15: image processing unit, 17: RAM, 20: display unit, 21: operation unit, 30: frame image, 31: live view image, 32: for recording Image, 42: Slide bar

Claims (2)

An imaging device capable of capturing a moving image,
An imaging unit that captures a subject image and outputs a captured image at a predetermined frame rate;
A storage unit that applies image processing to the captured image to generate a frame image, and sequentially stores the frame image;
A display unit that sequentially displays live view images based on the frame images;
A setting changing unit that allows a user to change a setting value related to a desired item among the exposure condition and the image processing when the live view image is sequentially displayed on the display unit;
Of the frame images stored in the storage unit, for the frame image of the frame before the time when the setting value of the desired item was last changed until the moving image shooting is completed, the desired image A post-processing unit that corrects the changed setting value to be applied at the end of the item,
An imaging apparatus comprising: The imaging device according to claim 1,
The image processing apparatus further includes a data generation unit that develops and compresses the frame image stored in the storage unit and the frame image corrected by the post-processing unit to generate moving image data. An imaging device.

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